This recipe is courtesy of Colleen Smith, owner, Tea Bar & Bites Café in Springfield

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion, diced

1/4 cup butter

1/2 pound fresh tomato, chopped, or canned diced tomatoes

1/2 pound carrots, cooked or canned

1 can pumpkin

4 cups vegetable broth, divided

4 tablespoons basil

Pinch of sugar

1 cup half & half

1 cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a soup pot, sauté onion in butter for 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomato and simmer gently for 5 to 6 minutes.

In a food processor, puree carrots, pumpkin, and 2 cups of vegetable broth until smooth. Add pumpkin mixture to onion and tomato in soup pot.

Add basil and sugar. Fold in remaining vegetable broth, half & half, and milk. Heat slowly until hot.

Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with Parmesan. Serves 6.

Photo by Andrew Barton.